The Darker Me (a fruits basket love story)
by Classic-Dynamics007
Summary: The Sohma family is known for their mysterious ways and huge family secret but Yumi's got an even bigger secret, one that could tear this world apart. What happens when she is thrown into the middle of the Sohma family, one she promised never to return to.
1. Chapter 1

The rain poured down on Yumi as she walked a lonely road; a road she once remember in a now lost dream, as having been filled with blossoming flowers and beautiful old oak trees. A luscious ever growing green forest with birds that sang a soft lullaby full of hopes and dreams that were within her reach as she walked along a path of blissful memories. It was a road that at one time, she saw clearly with sunlight and signs that pointed to happiness and all she had to do was follow them to get what her heart truly desired. Simply, it was purest of life...But something had gotten in the way, for she could no longer see it the way that it once was. Instead it had been replaced with a new path that sent shivers down her spine. The flowers now lay withered on the ground and the old oak trees had become bent and dark. The color had faded from that forest a long time ago and now all that was left was a ever lasting layer of gloom. The birds song had ended and the road was full of half truths and broken promises. The sun rays were blocked out by an impenetrable darkness at the tops of the trees and the signs were twisted like a never ending maze. It had been that way for a very extended amount of time, causing her to almost forget the good life she had once upon a time in a far away place .

Now, all she wanted was somewhere to stay the cold nights, a place she could be promised at least one meal every day. Not the life she had, living on the streets these past years. This wasnt the way she should be living, but for the past while she had had no choice. It was only now that the idea of returning home had come to her mind...it would mean facing everything that she had been running from for the past few years though.

Yumi lifted her nose to the air, she had been unknowingly bring herself closer to this place before she'd even realized. It wouldn't be long before she would be out of the rain and off the streets. For a while, things would be good again.

The wind and the rain combined was painful, it hit her face leaving a dull sting. She could see it now, the house. It was late but a light still burned in the kitchen window. Yumi quickly walked to the door before she could rethink her decision. Too late, she already was, it was deep in her subconscious but soon it would work its way to the front of her brain.

She stopped at the doorstep her clenched hand hesitating at the door, she knocked twice, loud enough for anyone to hear, even over the howling wind. It was then, as she waited for what seemed like a lifetime on their doorstep, that urge to run kicked in. Get away from them before something goes wrong she screamed at herself in her mind. A large part of her brain cried for her to leave, get as far away as she could and as fast as she could. She wanted to listen to her brain, it was what had kept her alive for this time and it was going against everything she believed in to stand there and wait. What was making her remain? A very small portion of her heart, whispering to stay. her ears perked up, she could hear someone walking to the door. Her heart beat faster and faster with every step she heard, she feared that it would burst threw her chest before he got to the door. Finally, as her heart felt like it take no more, the door opened. Yumi collapsed at the sight of him, Shigure stood in the door frame, looking rather confused for a moment, nothing had quite registered yet and why should it...

Yumi keeled in front of the door and him, shivering from a combination of the cold and the nervous energy. She didnt have any strength left, physically nor mentally. Why was it that whenever she came here she became so weak? she just wished for this moment to be over, for her to be inside asleep with a full stomach, wrapped in the warmth of a blanket.

it was a distant whisper, nothing was clear to her anymore. She felt sick, hungry, tired, dizzy and most of all cold, never be warm again.

Yumi realized how pitiful she must have looked right then, but she was too tired to care anymore.  
Although she had lost all respect for herself a long time ago, she still felt the need to look away, finding some interesting point on the soaked horizon to stare at. Anything was better then facing what was in front of her, it was going to be difficult. Not because she didn't want to be here….but because she did. Bad things always happened to the people she cared about the most, and that's why she kept her distance. She just couldn't though, not right now. The body looming above her from her defeated position on the doormat, knelt down to her level, regaining her attention. She looked at the dark haired man in front of her, and furrowed her brow in confusion. How could he be so forgiving?

Shigure reached a hand out to touch her cold cheek, but she jerked away and glared at him slightly. Why was she so unforgiving? Touch was something that had become foreign to her, she couldnt remember the last time she had felt the touch of another's skin. Maybe it was the last time she was here….if that was the case, she certainly wouldn't remember how to act with human to human contact….she no longer welcomed it and yet somewhere inside of her she was screaming out for it. Getting the signal, Shigure took his hand back and got to his feet.

"Let me help you" it was a distant whisper but it still took Yumi by surprise. Emotions she had suppressed for years began taking over her. Damn it Shigure…..

Yumi got to her feet, new found strength in the warmth that was radiating from the house. She used the door frame as a support.

"stubborn as always" he said, but there was no joking in his voice and a serious look played across his face.

She attempted to take a step but more then her feet failed her this time. She collapsed into Shigure, who thankfully caught her before she went crashing to the ground. Her vision went dark and she slipped into a deep sleep, one that had evaded her for a long time now. "Oh little Yumi, when will you learn"

Shigure took Yumi into the house and called for the others as he placed her on the couch. Yuki and Kyo came down the stairs fighting as usual, but once they saw who was passed out in their living room, all conversation stopped and a painful silence followed. Tohru, who had been following behind the two, attempting the break up their argument, looked very surprised as well, but this was for a different reason. She had no idea who the girl was or why the three seemed so concerned but she was still concerned for the other girls health. It was simply in her nature, she was a good and caring person.

"what the hell is SHE doing here!" Kyo snapped pointing Yumi, his other fist clenched in anger by his side.

Yuki turned to Shigure, "we should call Hatore….make sure shes alright"

"hm, she'll be okay for now. We can call him in the morning, its too late right now…and besides im sure all she wants to do is sleep. " Shigure answered

"Who is she, Yuki?" Tohru asked, which brought up the problem of how much to tell the young girl about Yumi.

"oh, shes…shes just a friend" Yuki said looking down at her from behind the couch, bending over to brush the wet hair out of her face.

"oh…" At that moment, Yumi shivered in her sleep.

"Tohru, would you be so kind as to go get a blanket from the closet?" Shigure asked

"yes! Of course" and with that she was off to find a blanket.

Kyo had plundered down in the corner on a chair, his arms crossed.

Yuki looked away sadly "im not sure what to say anymore…I just don't understand"

Why now…

Yumi's Dream

"Kyoko!" A bright voice called threw the Sohma household.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that!" The anger of a 5 year old cat was written across Kyo face.

"but I like that name!" Yumi said sticking her bottom lip out to fake pout

"but it's a girls name!" Kyo yelled

"Well!" the little girl exclaimed "I think it's a pretty name!"

Kyo huffed in disagreement. The younger version of Yumi frowned and then had a idea pop into her mind. She charged passed Kyo and shoved him with her hand in the process "TAG! YOUR IT!"

Kyo gave chase. The two ran all the way down the rivers end, switching between who was the target and who was the chase the whole way down. Once getting to the opening by the waters edge the two dropped and looked up at the clouds. Kyo's hand was grabbed in a friendly embrace, one in which he did not turn down.

"We're gonna be friends forever right?"

Kyo thought for a moment before looking towards the young girl by his side, "forever"

Yumi's eyes snapped opened to see the orange haired cat sitting in a chair in the corner. One of his lazy cat eyes opened at the feeling that someone was watching him.

"Good morning Kyoko…"


	2. Chapter 2

Yumi eyes fluttered open as a familiar voice drifted into her subconscious. Shigure was leaning over the back of the couch so when she opened her eyes, he was the first thing she saw. Her eyes immediately narrowed at the sight of him. The same goof smile she always remembered him to have was plastered across his face.

"Ah!" He said far to excitedly "Your awake!"

Yumi's hand gripped the back of the couch to pull herself up. She sung her legs around until her feet were flat on the floor. She said nothing but instead rubbed her temples in an attempt to make her thoughts clear in her own mind. What am I doing here? Shigure continued to talk but she heard none of it, she lost herself deep in her head.

"Earth to Yumi!" Shigure waved a hand in front of her distant face "Come back to us Yumi…"

Yumi suddenly snapped out of it and glared the man standing in front of her. Was that simply a choice of word, or had that been meant? Yumi didn't know, but she figured she would let his play of words go this time. It was fully possible that he hadn't meant anything by it, however she was sceptical of this. He was far to smart for it not to have a deeper meaning.

The smell of something cooking in the kitchen floated into the room Yumi was in and she suddenly realised how famished that she was. She involuntarily looked towards the direction that the smell was coming from then looked back to Shigure.

"I'd imagine that your starving, yes?" He asked, "I mean you have been asleep for a couple of days now -"

"I've been asleep for two days?!" Yumi questioned, somewhat surprised. Her own voice felt wrong as she spoke. It had been so long since she'd heard herself speak, that she was amazed she still remembered how to do so.

Shigure simply nodded and motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen. Standing was a task in its own. Having been resting for the past two days, her legs enjoyed the feeling and refused to allow her to use them again. Although there wasn't really any choice in it because she made them work anyway, they did complain in a series of cracking in her knees and ankles as she walked. She briefly looked around as she made her way to the kitchen. Nothing had changed since she had last been her, it was almost as if she never left. Everything was as she remembered it and these sights became a painful blast from the past. No longer wanting to remember she pushed forward to were Shigure was sitting. Across a plate full of steaming breakfast on the table. Yumi sat down in front of it, not knowing where to start. As she dug in Shigure read a newpaper across from her. She thought that the silence would be nice, but actually this lack of conversation was nearly killing her. Did he really have nothing to say?

Finishing her last bite of egg, she pushed the dish away and placed the cutlery on top of it. Shigure looked at her from over the brim of his glasses. She felt a sort of shame inside of her, she dare not look him in the eye and so she looked away, focusing on the bottom of the stove.

"I'm glad you liked my cooking, It's a change from when you were younger" Yumi's eyebrows furrowed as he spoke, was he doing this on purpose? She couldn't tell, but his words somehow made her more guilty. He picked up the plate and took it to the sink, with his back now facing her he continued to talk. "Unfortunately I can't say the same about Yuki and Kyo, they still refuse to eat anything I make"

Yumi dared to look at him while he wasn't facing her, "Yuki and Kyo…where are they?"

Shigure turned back around to face her as he answered the question. She attempted to look him in the eye, but found that she was unable to. "They are at school, should be home soon"

Yumi nodded but continued to look away from him. The silence that followed lasted for what seemed to be a lifetime.

Yumi heard the plate that Shigure had been clink against the table top as he rested it there, "If I asked…would you tell me what happened?"

Yumi knew what he was referring to, he wanted to know why she left. She didn't make a single move, giving no indication of what her answer would be. However, the two new what her response would be…She'd never tell. Not that easily at least. Shigure was about to say something else when the front door open and voices filled the room. Yuki and Kyo arguing over something, most likely pointless.

Yumi's hands involuntarily turned into fists as she willed herself to stay seated. The footsteps grew closer and her heart began to beat faster. All conversation stopped as the two walked into the kitchen

"Yumi….your awake…" There was surprise in Yuki's voice.

Yumi turned to look at him just in time to see the look of disgust on Kyo's face before he stormed off….


End file.
